GPS-equipped FineDrive iQ500 PMP proves Korea's awesomeness once more

Seriously folks, is it really that hard? Can we North Americans get a few PMPs like this one, or are we destined to have but a few kinda-sorta similar Archos units to choose from? South Korea is proving yet again that its PMP designers are truly top notch with the FineDrive iQ500, which proudly sports an expansive 7-inch LCD (800 x 480 resolution), a 600MHz ARM processor, 4GB / 8GB of internal storage, an SDHC expansion slot, WinCE, GPS module, a DMB TV tuner and support for a smorgasbord of audio and video file formats. It's also spectacularly thin and drool-worthy, and naturally, can only be procured and fully enjoyed within the confines of its home nation. Oh, one question though: "Oil Save?"

[Via Akihabara News]

[superhobo @ Mar 4th 2009 9:01AM]

The GPS in this unit finds shortcuts you'd never have imagined, which would save petrol (gas for the linguistically challenged), which saves oil.

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[Sektor @ Mar 4th 2009 9:04AM]

North Americans are too busy worshiping Apple to realize the rest of the world has much more to offer, at a much lower price. That's why.

[John Doe @ Mar 4th 2009 9:16AM]

I agree...people here drool over iTouch which is 'funny' somehow.

[wat up!!! @ Mar 4th 2009 10:37AM]

is not 'funny'.... is 'funnest'.... if that ever makes any sense.... i still dont find wats the big idea on the itouch.....

[yschoi @ Mar 4th 2009 9:05AM]

An answer for 'one question : Oil Save"
They say the PMP finds gas stations with the cheast price tags for users. That should be called 'Money Save', and shows current state of traffics, also.

[htd @ Mar 4th 2009 9:06AM]

while GPS with PMP capability has been around in states for long time?

[Sektor @ Mar 4th 2009 9:09AM]

Oh really? I must've missed it, because most of the GPS' I see/own have no proper PMP capabilities.
Having a MP3 player doesn't equal PMP.

[John Doe @ Mar 4th 2009 9:18AM]

Are you talking about Garmin's gps units which have mp3, photo and video playback capability, and cost $800-$900??

[Tarnation @ Mar 4th 2009 9:09AM]

Most people I know have no idea these devices exist. When they see things like my Archos they are just amazed. It's sad that Microsoft and Apple force feed the same dull crap to us(it's probably just soylent green). I would whole-heartedly welcome more devices like this.

[Xero @ Mar 4th 2009 1:37PM]

Peepul?

[Shan @ Mar 4th 2009 10:14AM]

"Oil Save" hahaha.. well don't be surprised. Korean PMPs have a habit of putting silly phrases on the front. My Viliv P1 has "Unlimited Excitement" printed under its screen!

[bachviet @ Mar 4th 2009 10:23AM]

Why can't we have these in the States?

[Geonerd @ Mar 4th 2009 10:41AM]

No BLUETOOTH????!!!!!
If it had I would have ....

[Wwhat @ Mar 4th 2009 11:38AM]

First of I think that the ability to make an decent electronic device still doesn't warrant the statement 'awesomeness' for a whole country

And secondly I think the reason why it's all so hard is the million and one patents and licenses you need to get to play even basic audio on a device let alone video, and perhaps some journalist should bust all that stuff open, because I would not be surprised that they for instance make trouble about allowing MP3 etcetera playback if you also support opensource formats, and crap like that, and that it's not just licences but also protectionism of governments that creates a ton of rules we almost never hear about but suffer under nonetheless.

[Pingles @ Mar 4th 2009 11:49AM]

Kind of a bummer that the resolution on the 7" screen is the same as the Cown and Archos' 4.3" screens. Then again, Archos' 7" is also the same resolution.

[Lance Wexler @ Mar 4th 2009 1:00PM]

And I thought my Cowon iAudio X5's "Color Sound' was weird. Oil save? WFT.

[Adam @ Mar 4th 2009 1:23PM]

All those fancy sports-car pictures make me want one! Looks like a pretty slick unit.

[EGGO @ Mar 4th 2009 2:54PM]

So close but so far.

The Archos still has oodles more storage and a good 5" screen version.

Too bad the sound quality of the Archos isn't good.

[PooPsTech @ Mar 4th 2009 3:19PM]

May be the writer wants to move to his "awesomeness Korea" once and for all! One way ticket, of course!